The Success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in October 1917

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The Success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in October 1917

The Bolshevik seizure of power or coup de’tat of October 25th, 1917

was a culmination of both internal and external failure to satisfy the

needs of an oppressed Russian society. In contrast to the spontaneous

revolts earlier in 1917, the Bolshevik revolution was ‘a carefully

planned plot carried out by ‘professional’ revolutionaries.’[1] The

victory of the Marxist Lenin’s Bolsheviks was due to the failure of

the Provisional Government in response to land policies; their failure

to gain support from the masses; the lack of ‘real’ authority of the

Provisional Government and the military failure of the army. Secondly,

the failure of the Petrograd Soviets and All Russian Congress of

Soviets contributed to the Bolshevik revolution due to inability of

its moderate socialist leaders to exert their ‘popular’ power. The

Bolshevik victory was attained due to the rise of the Bolsheviks

through 1917, with the leadership of Lenin and their ability to attack

the bourgeoisie state of the Provisional Government. Furthermore the

Bolshevik revolution was achieved due to the seizure of power by the

Bolsheviks, by gaining the critical support of the ‘Red Army’ though

Leon Trotsky’s role within the Military Revolutionaries Committee.

Firstly, the successful Bolshevik revolution was account of the

failure of the Provisional Government in response to its problematic

land policies. ‘Five features distinguished the land situation…a

shortage of land in the central provinces, the demand that all land be

transferred to the working peasantry without compensation, isolated

excesses and seizure, ho...

... middle of paper ...

...sia In Revolution, (1967), Great Britain, pp. 202

[3] ibid, pp.205

[4] Bucklow, M., Russia: Why Revolution?, (1976), Melbourne, pp. 159

[5] Kochan, L., Russia In Revolution, (1967), Great Britain, pp. 202

[6] Bucklow, M., Russia: Why Revolution?, (1976), Melbourne, pp. 156

[7] Kochan, L., Russia In Revolution, (1967), Great Britain, pp. 208

[8] Bucklow, M., Russia: Why Revolution?, (1976), Melbourne, pp. 159

[9] Kochan, L., Russia In Revolution, (1967), Great Britain, pp. 177

[10]Bucklow, M., Russia: Why Revolution?, (1976), Melbourne, pp. 166

[11] Bunyan, J., Fisher, A.H., The Bolshevik Revolution 1917-1918,

(1934), pp. 24-27

[12] Bucklow, M., Russia: Why Revolution?, (1976), Melbourne, pp. 159

[13] ibid, pp. 162

[14] ibid, pp. 164

[15] Lenin’s Selected Works, (1956), vol.2, pp. 13-17

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